Printing-press.



PATENTED'MAY 8,1906.

P. M. RANDALL, JR.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 001.23. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES:

PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

S )8 Tun LR AP D M I RT m R P IAPPLIOATIONIILED 0012s. 1905.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 anuenfoz Presses, of which UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 1906.

Application filed October 23.1905. Serial No. 283,946-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHINEAS M. RANDALL, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Westerly, in the county of Washington and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPrintingthe following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention chines.

The object of the invention is to so construct a rinting-machine, inwhich at least one mem er of the printing-couple is a rotating 0 linder,that a lost motion may be al lows to one member or a part of onememberof the couple under conditions which would otherwise produce blurring orinferiority of impression or work injury to the machine.

It is well known that in nearly all'kinds of so-called rotaryprinting-presses the printing-couple, consisting of two cylinders or onecylinder and a traveling bed, the c linders (Where two or more are used)or the ed and cylinder constituting the printing-couple are geared so asto have the surface speed of the two members identical.

As one of the members has the type or printing-surface and the othermember has the impression-surface, it is necessary that the gearing bywhich the members of the couple are connected shall be calculated withreference to the movement of the peripheries of these-surfaces. Usuallyin addition to a positive gear connecting the members of the couplethere are smooth bearing-surfaces on the members of the couple, whichbearers come in contact as the parts move forward.

As type or plate machines vary in thick,- ness, the elevation of theprinting-surface 'va ries from the calculated'ortheoretical level, andif this variation be in the directionof elevation the face of the formmoves faster than it should' If the t pe is low, the, surface movesslower. Un er such circumstances there is a tendency of one memberof'the couple to scrape or strip the surface ofthe other member. Thistendency I overcome in manner I will proceed. to describe.

Figure 1 isan end elevation of so much of a two-cylinder or web-printingmachine as is necessa togive an understanding of the present invention.Fig. 2 is an end'elevarelates to printing-mation of the printing-couple,part of the frame being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of cylinder, showing a yielding impression-shell-thereon andshowing a reciprocating bed in elevation, parts of the press deemedunnecessary to the invention being omitted. Fig. 4 is an end-elevationof part of the couple shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation of acam-ring and cams thereon, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is an edgeview of cam-ring and cams, showing relation of friction device thereto,as hereinafter explained, Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic broken side elevationof a printing-machine in which a reciprocating bed is one of the membersof the printing-couple. Fig. Sis a cross-section of. the same. Fig. 9 isa broken detail section of-the traveling means for holding the latter byfriction. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a bracket which i attachedtothe bed and a locking-lever and a friction-holding lever attachedthereto. Fig. 11 is an end elevation of cam 42 and the adjustable camthereon.

In F i 1, A represents the impression-cylinder, and B the form-cylinder,of a wellknown class of printing-presses. These cylinders are geared torotate together, as by gears C C, and: have bearers D D moving incontact, as usual. The impression-shell of the cylinder A is marked a inthe drawings and is shown in section in Fig. 8. Now assuming that thetype forms or plates 6 are abnormally high then it is apparent that thesurface s eed of these plates or forms will be greater tl ia'n thesurface speed of the impression-surface of shell a, of .normal height,and as the cylinders forming the printingcouple are geared to movetogether there must be a scra ing or blurring movement of the surfaces.uch movement may be very small, but is often great enough to give ablurred appearance to the printed sheet. Moreover, t

bed, its yielding surface, and

e strain and wear on a pressu'ndersuch 0011- ditions are very great.'fects by permitting a yielding movement of the impression-suiface ofshell c in the instance cited, as I will explain; but it is obviousthattlie yielding might as well be on the part of the other member ofthe couple-that is, of the forms or plates on the form-cylinder. Theimpression-shell a may be divided on a radial line or lines, as c, Fig.3, or it may be a hollow cylinder having a normal initial posi- Iovercome the de-' tion, in which it is held by strong springs 1 1,carried on the ends of the cylinderand rigidly secured to a hub on thecylinder, as at 2 2. Pins 3 3, projecting from the end of the cylinder,define the initial position of these springs. Pins 4 4 extend from theimpression-shell a, through cu -ved slots in the end of the cylin derinposition to bear against the springs 1. Then the abnormal movement ofthe plates or forms I) will simply produce a corresponding 'nmvement oftheimpression-suiface of shell (1 against the resistance of springs 1.The ears and bearers will move in unison, and the form-suiface andimpiessi'on-sumface will also'move. in unison, but at a difieientvelocity from that of the bearer movement, and there will be no unusualstrain on the gems.

1 When the drag of the forms on the impression-suiface has ceased by therotation of the cylinder to a break in theforms, (as be. tween sheets orbetween pages,) the springs 1 will restore the 'su. face shell 0. tonormal position, so that the'leading edges-of the print- 2 5 ingcoupleare in register. To prevent a too rapid recoil of the springs 1, afriction-holding I device may be applied. Thus letfi indicate a bracketat the end of the cylinder A, and 7 a crank-lever pivoted in thebracket. A roller 30. Sis journaled on the outer arm ofl'ever 7. (See.Figs; 1, 5, and 6.) A pin 9 extends through the end flange of cylinderA, and its inner end rests against theend of impressionshell a.Attachedto the frame of the press 3 5 there is a cam-ring 12, onwhich-cam-pieces 13 are adjustable, being held in place by set screws14. or in other suitable manner. (See Fig. 6.) As the'cylinder rotatesthe lever or levers 7, cariied thereby, will-pass the cam rings 13 onthe fixed ring 12', and roller 8, engaging said cams, will rock lever?thus pressing in the pin?) to ap' ly a strong holding-pressure againstthe en of impression-shell a. The circumferential length of cam 13 willdetermine how long this ressure shall be main-- tained. The cams .wi lordinarily be placedopposite the breaks in the forms and are adjustableand removable, so that 'the press mav forms. As soon as roll 8has passedoff from cam 13 the springs 1 will resume control-of theimpression-piece. 5 v

. Vhen the-invention is applied to a cylinder having gri )pers-tograsp asheet, it is' irn'por 5 5 tant that t e yielding part be held at 'thein?"stant the grippers closet-o prevent'the' 5;; ip-" pers from moving theyielding piece; To this end a pin 20 is passed through the end disk ofthe cylinder A; this pin is normally held iiiriicring. .211, embracingthe head out by forked of pin 20. ed; camv 22:on the frame 'encounter-sv the; head ofmpin 20; as the cylinder rotatesv and forces thetint of the inintoa U hole 23 in: shell a, w "Te the cylin er' moves'the pin pastthe .cam 22, after-which the type-forms rest.

be adjusted to differenttype'or plate spring21 willwithdraw pin 20, andthe shell 0. againgcomes under the cont ol of springs 1. Preciselythesame principles are a 'plicable to a printing-press in which one of te members of the printing-couple is a reciprocating bed instead of a 1otating cylinder.

A p; inting-eylinder is substantially the same as .a curved bed or aflat bed is the surface of a cylinder straightened out. Cams on the sideof the frame will operate in the same way to move locking pins or levelsoutward or inward, as on a flame past which a cylinder rotates. I

In the modification Figs. 7 and 8 the flat bed 30 of the press haslongitudinal recesses 31. In the bottom of each recess-31 there is ahardened .plate 32, length of the yielding bed 33, on' which the Rollers34 rest on the har-. dened plates 32, and a hardened track-plate 35 runson these rolls. The bed 33, being rigid with the track-plates, ma movelengthwise of bed 30 with verylitt e friction and the hardened platesprevent rapid wear of the parts. At each-end of the bed 33 there aresprings 36, attached to the lower'bed 30,.and extending up through holesin this lower bed andresting against the ends of bed 33 to hold, saidbed normally'in position-to move with bed 30, but permitting said bed 33to have an independent movement against the pressure of the springs,when the conditions 'of surface contact-between the forms on bed 33an'dthe impressiomcylinder call for a redisposition of the surfaces of.the printing couple, The bed 3Q has brackets 40;secured to its sides,and a lever 41 is pivoted in each bracket 40.' These levers of coursearticipate in the longitudi- .nal movement 0 the press-bed. Cams 42 onthe frame at the sides of the press-bed are engaged bylevers 4 1 as thebed recipro'cates and the'levers 41 are turned on their pivots againstthe pressure of sprin s 43 by engage-, ment with t es'e cams as theTeversmove past the cams. Brackets 40 carry also levers 45,

which plates are just the which operate in the same Way as do levers 41to press the pins 46 and so apply friction to the bed '33 and resist itsyielding. Levers .41 press in pins 47 to lock the bed 33 positivelyexcept whenunlocked by the action of the c'ams'48, which cams areadjustable, as

has already been described with reference to cams 14. I I

, From the foregoing it should be under stood' that the operation of theress is substantiallyfihe same whether t 1e printingouple betwocylinders or a bed and a cylinderu in either case one member of thecouple has a yieldingpart which bears one of the (5011-. tact-surfaces,and thisyielding part is held to normal position by springs and may belocked in; such position. The movement of the member which bea rs'thisyielding 'art unlocks the same: at a' predetermined ace, de' termined bythe 'adjustm'ent'of a cam on the from the theoretical level of contactand prevent wear not onl on the printing and impression surfaces, ut onthe gears by which the members of the couple are compelled to traveltogether.

The advantages of my invention are reat. Absolute register of themembers 0 the rinting-couple may be had, even though the orms are highor low, and this without strain on the gears or bearers of the press.better printing may be done where the types or .forms are imperfect-thanhas heretofore been the case.

I In a printing-machine, the printingcouple geared to move at uniformspeed,

with a, contact-piece of one of the couple held by springs so as toyield in the direction of movement under increased pressure.

2. The combination with the cylinder of a printing-press, of 'animpression-shell, and springs to hold the same to operative position,while permitting a circumferential yielding.

3. The combination with the printing-couple of a printing-machine, of ayielding contact-piece'attached to one of the members and means tocontrolthe yielding thereof, means for positively locking such yieldingpiece, and means for unlocking it at a predetermined position in itsmovement.

4. The combination with the printing-coumeans Much ple of aprinting-machine, of a yielding part bearing a contact-face, means forlocking this art, and means for unlocking it as the memer moves.

5. The combination with a cylinder of a printing-press, of arotativelyyielding shell,

springs for holding the shell in normal position, and means for lockingthe shell to the cylinder.

6. The combination with the cylinderof a printing-press, of arotatively-yielding shell,

or locking the shell to the cylinder,

and means for unlocking-the shell by the movement of the cylinder.

7. The combination with the cylinder of'a printing-press, of arotatively-yielding shell,

a friction device for obstructing the yielding of said shell, and meansfor applying the friction device.

' 8. The combination with the cylinder of a printing -press, of arotaJtively-yielding shell, a frictional holding device for said shell,and

adjustable cams on the frame by which the pressure of said holdingdevice is a plied.,

9. The combination with the cy inder of a printing-press, of arotatively-yielding shell, a lockin pin in position to enter said shell,a cam to lock said pin, and means for withdrawing said pin.

l0. Thevcombination with one of the members of a printing-couple, of ayielding art hearing one of the contact-surfaces, a by which said pieceis held against yielding, and means for automatically unlocking saidpiece to ermit the yield.

11 testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. PHINEAS M. RANDALL, JR. Witnesses: I

ABEL P. RANDALL, JAMES MAXWELL.

